Shoe counters



Jan. 13, 1959 0.5. DUBE 2,867,920

SHOE COUNTERS Filed Nov. '7, 195's r INVENTOR. 11 Oscar J.Dube

BY haw M ATTORNEYS United States Patent SHOE COUNTERS Oscar J. Dube, Fall River, Mass.

Application November 7, 1955, Serial No. 545,440

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-68) My invention relates to improvements in shoe construction, and more specifically to improvements in shoe counters.

The majority of improvements in shoe complaints today.

are due to the stretching of the counter. After the counter has become stretched, the heel has a tendency to slip off the heel of the wearer of the shoe. This is especially noticeable in shoes of the strapless and tieless design where the shoe is almost useless after a short period of wear. Some counters also crease and shorten the shoe while making it uncomfortable in use.

Therefore, it is the primary object of my invention to provide a counter that will fit snugly against the heel of the wearer and prevents the heel of the wearer from slipping after the shoe has been worn for an extended period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a counter that will not crease or shorten the shoe.

A further object of my invention is to enable strapless shoes to be worn for a longer period by providing a counter which will stretch to enable the shoe to be placed on the foot and which will retract and maintain a firm grip on the heel of the wearer when the shoe is on the foot.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a counter that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of my invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of my invention without the resilient band and with the slashing cut toward the open end of the counter.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral designates the counter generally, and is preferably made of a relatively stilt material and comprises a bight 11 and legs '12. Slashings 13 are cut into the ice upper portion of the counter extending from the bight 11 to substantially the mid-portion of the legs 12. These slashings 13 are preferably V-shaped and have an opening 14 of approximately /s" at the top and terminating in perforations 14, as best seen in Figure 4.

The slashings 13 are preferably inclined forwardly (Figure 4) or rearwardly (Figures 1 and 2) on the legs 12. This lends to the shaping of the counter end of the shoe. In the bight portion 11 the slashings 13 are substantially vertical. It will be readily seen by one skilled in the art that the contours of the counter can be varied by increasing or decreasing the width or length of the slashings 13. A resilient band 15 is secured along the upper portion of the counter covering the openings 14 defined by the slashings 13, and is secured to the counter at its ends by any suitable means such as the staple 16.

The perforations 14 prevent binding of the slashings 13 when the resilient band 15 is in place, and thereby prevents wrinkles in the counter.

In operation, the resilient band 15 is secured along the upper edge of the counter 10 after the slashings 13 and perforations 14 are cut. The resilient band 15 closes the openings 14 defined by the slashings 13 and retains the slashings in a closed position, thereby securing a snug fit to the heel of the wearer of the shoe. When the shoe is placed on the foot, the resilient band 15 permits the slashings 13 to open as at 14. After the shoe is on the foot the resilient band contracts and maintains a tight fit to the heel of the wearer.

It is understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, as hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a shoe counter of relatively stiff material comprising bight and leg portions having a free upper wall edge, the improvement comprising a plurality of slashings extending inwardly from said free upper edges of said bight and leg portions, resilient means connecting said slashings, and means for securing said resilient means and said stiff material together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 124,094 Spaulding Feb. 27, 1872 551,759 Donovan Dec. 24, 1895 1,034,075 Carey et a1. July 30, 1912 1,742,895 Brittain Jan. 7, 1930 1,824,358 Malaguti Sept. 22, 1931 2,084,868 Quinn June 22, 1937 2,095,613 Ornsteen Oct. 12, 1937 2,319,356 Sullivan May 18, 1943 2,584,516 Veatch Feb. 5, 1952 2,713,216 Ponce July 19, 1955 2,716,249 Holloway Aug. 30, 1955 

